1. Technical Field
This invention relates to pet brushes and, more particularly, to a heated pet brush for allowing pet owners to effectively and conveniently administer soothing heat therapy when brushing their animal's coat.
2. Prior Art
America is a country of dog and cat lovers. In fact, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, (APPMA) there are approximately 60 million owned dogs in the United States and 75 million owned cats; therefore, four in ten households include a family dog, while nearly three in ten include a pet cat. Why do so many people have pets? The answer to that question is simple: pets provide unconditional love, companionship and unmatched loyalty to their owners.
Dogs are known as “man's best friend,” and they provide protection and happy companionship. Cats are more independent but still offer love and warmth. For many owners, a favorite end to a hectic day is spent curled up on a sofa or chair with a beloved pet nestled nearby. Dogs and cats are often considered a member of the family and most owners provide adequate shelter, a healthy diet and a regular routine of bathing and grooming for their animals.
Brushing your pet's fur is important when caring for an animal. Brushing rids the animal of painful tangles and ensures a healthy, shiny coat. For older pets, extra care must be given to ensure the animal is comfortable, healthy and happy. Specifically, for those who own older animals, a pet owner should make sure the animal visits the veterinarian, receives all medication in a timely manner and is provided with comfortable bedding. Of course, it would be advantageous to provide a means for pet owners to better care for and pamper their household pets.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,738 to Stanley discloses a no tangle pet brush that has an L-shaped case with a partially hollow interior for housing a container of grooming solution. The container has a spray attachment for spraying the grooming solution into a chamber which provides means for equally distributing the solution across the full bristle pattern of a brush attached to an angled extension of the brush case. The brush bristles have inner ends which are mounted in the case and which extend into the chamber. The inner ends are suitably mounted to provide means for the flow of solution out of the chamber and onto the individual strands of bristles. A removable end cap is provided for removing and replacing the container of grooming solution and the case has an external operator extending into the interior for operating push button types of spray attachments. A wire slicker brush or any other suitable brush may be used and interchanged by snaps or slide structure as is known in the art. Unfortunately, this prior art example offers no relief for pets that suffer from achy joints caused by arthritis.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,124,712 to Berman discloses a pet brush system including a brush body, which has a central aperture therethrough, and a lower cylindrical peripheral wall of an enlarged diameter and an upper peripheral wall. The brush further includes a handle, which is adapted to be grasped by a user with a free proximal end and a cylindrical distal end with an aperture. A bristle pad is provided with a plurality of bristles which have tips at a location remote from the brush body. The upper ends are coupled to the bristle pad and located within the cylindrical lower wall of the brush body. A push plate includes apertures which receive the bristles therethrough and includes an interior central rod which extends through the central aperture of the brush body to an operator controlled push button secured to the upper end thereof. A spring within the upper cylindrical peripheral wall of the brush body is adapted to push the push button away from the bristle pad and adapted to be contracted upon the depression of the push button to move the central rod downwardly. Unfortunately, this prior art example offers no relief to pets that suffer from achy joints caused by arthritis.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,428 to Locke discloses a vacuum pet brush for collecting debris loosened by a grooming brush or comb. The vacuum pet brush includes a main housing that has an open end and closed end. The closed end of the main housing has a plurality of venting apertures. The main housing has enclosed inside a vacuum bag, a fan connected to a motor, and a battery operationally connected to the motor. In addition, a grooming head member that has a debris collection conduit is selectively coupled to the open end of the main housing. Unfortunately this prior art example, while providing a pet owner effective means of grooming their pet, offers to relief to pets that suffer from achy joints caused by arthritis. Accordingly, a need remains for a heated pet brush in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a pet brush that is convenient and easy to use, durable yet lightweight in design, and provides pet owners a simple and efficient means of brushing their animal's fur. The hair brush boasts an integrated heating element that allows a pet owner to effortlessly comb through fur, resulting in a shiny, healthy coat. The heated pet brush administers gentle, radiating heat, and easily glides through tangled growth and eliminates the pain and discomfort traditionally associated with combing through thick fur. Most importantly, the inclusion of the integrated heating element enables pet owners to utilize the brush to administer soothing heat therapy to their animal. The heated pet brush gently applies soothing heat therapy to stiff, sore muscles and aching bones, and proves particularly beneficial for use with older animals. The heated pet brush is ideal for home use and proves to be a valuable tool for any professional pet groomer, as well as veterinarians and similar caregivers.